The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-30
RIVALS OF PAsTEUR.
Five Hundred People Treated for Hydro
phobia by a New Jersey Family.

Five Hundred People Treated for Hydro
phobia by New Jersey Family.
Newark On. j. Special
Dogbitten men, women and children to the
number of five hundred have been treated for
hydrophobia by the Reeve family, at Blooming
dale in this State. Tie little white farm house
hard by the station has become the Mecca of all
who have reason to dread attack of that most
terrible malady. Over forty years ago David
H. Reeve said he had obtained secret cure for
hydrophobia. People were slow to place much
credit in his statement Until his own son was
bitten and the father trusted to his new remedy
to him. This action of the elder Reeve,
testing, it were, his medicine on himself,
gained for him the confidence of his neighbors.
The number of his patients increased, and his
fame spread abroad. His secret was divulged
at first TO his wife, and oy her to their son. All
three have now practiced the cure, and over five
hundred patients have treaded their way to the
Bloomineiale home to be cured of dogbites.
Israel G. Reeve is the third and present physi-
clan using this remedy. He has had the secret
for six years. The medicine given is a yellow
powder. a tablespoonful is taken IN molasses
each morning for nine days. The stomach. 1t Is
claimed should be empty and nothing Is to be
eaten for six hours after taking the drug The
Reeves stipulate that for period OF three weeks
no grease, pepper salt shall be eaten, nothing
cold drank and the patients diet be limited to
buttermilk, Cruel, bread and molasses, with a
drink of warm weak tea. lt Is further directed
that the person who takes the medicine shall
abstain entirely for period of three moths,
from the use of spirituous and malt liquors and
tobacco in every form. The patients treated
lyn, Jersey City, Newark. Paterson, Mont
clair Hacketstown, Bloomfield. and towns
throughout the counties in the northern part
of New jersey. Several patients have come
from Rockland, Orange and Westminster coun-
ties. n. Y, and the medicine has been pre-
scrihed to one man in Detroit, Mich, and to
another In ST. Louis Mo. Two instances are
noted in which the treatment has succeeded
when failure to use it by persons bitten at the
time and by the same dog resulted IN
death. In one of these cases five boys at Pater-
Bloomingdale, were treated by Mr.. Reeve, and
all lived. The fifth. who was not treated in
Another case was that of husband and wife
bitten by dog. The woman was treated by
the Reeve method. while the man was treated
by the regular family physician. The woman
lived but her husband died. Another case that
points toward the Importance of the attending
diet one in which husband and wife were
both treated by the Bloomingdale method. The
husband refused to abstain from drink, aud
died. The woman still lives.
In conversation with your correspondent
Reeve said after relating the history of his cure:
ave do not know whore father got his secret.
He of few words, and to my knowl-
edge never told any one where he heard of the
cure He told my mother, who, surviving him
three years dealt out the medicine herself She
told the secret. and since her death six years
ago. have treated all people who have come
here I'VE have never advertised the cure.
Father mother and myself have treated over
500 cases. The composition of the drug no one
knows but myself l give the medicine, with
directions, to any one who applies A Paterson
physician who bought the medicine had it anal
yzed, but did not succeed in getting at the Sc
cret The medicine is useless unless the people
follow the directions We give. They don't object
much to the diet for three weeks, but many
don't like to give up drinking and smoking
chewing We also tell them they must keep
dry and not get heated while they are taking
the medicine"
Yes" he replied; 1--WE know of two aud
a child who were treated and who died of hydro
phobia."
Whether the belief in Mr.. Reeves medicine
and treatment be well founded or not, ii is fact
that many people in Bergen, Passaic, Morris and
Essex counties, besides numbers from other
places. go to the little hamlet when bitten by
dog. instead of submitting themselves 10 the
care of their family physicians. The last pa
tient treated by Mr. Reeve was VIM. English of
Paskack. English poisoned in the finger by
the saliva of bull dog that raved and roamed
for two days. killing two dogs. This dog made
q great deal of trouble bit about twenty dogs
aud cats rushed a child. and was killed while
tearing a dog to pieces. Englsh's finger first
became inhamed and swollen. HIS whole
was at last greatly swollen, and so painful that
he could not sleep nights About ten days after
the biting he went TO Bioomngdale and was
treated bv Reeve. The swelling and pain grew
less and soon disappeared. Mr.. English seems
to be in good health to-day.